NHL Veteran Martin Havlat Announces Retirement

NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 20: Martin Havlat #24 of the Florida Panthers in actions during a game against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on September 20, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Martin Havlat

Martin Havlat has announced his retirement from the National Hockey League after 14 seasons. The veteran forward played an astounding 790 games with a total of six different NHL franchises, recording a total of 352 assists and 242 goals.

A Memorable Career

Playing until the age of 35, Martin Havlat was first drafted in 1999 by the Ottawa Senators, where he spent five of his 14 seasons until he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006. The trade earned him a three-year, $18 million contract with the Hawks. After leaving Chicago in 2009, he was picked up by the Minnesota Wild and played for them until 2011. He spent the remainder of his 14 NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils, and St. Louis Blues.

While playing for the Sharks during the 2011-2012 season, Havlat suffered a hamstring injury after tripping and falling over the boards, and later experienced a complication that benched him during the 2013 quarter finals. He underwent a bilateral pelvic floor reconstruction which he returned from on October 31, 2013. He was placed on injured reserve two months after his debut. After just two games with the St. Louis Blues, Havlat requested that his contract be terminated after suffering from a groin injury.

Martin Havlat was the fourth highest scorer in the 1999 draft class. He won gold at the 2000 Saint Petersburg World Championships, and captured Bronze in 2011. Havlat was a two-time All-Star, making appearances in 2007 and 2011.

Alan Downward is a journalism student at the University of Toronto. He is a life long sports fan who focuses his writing on hockey. Alan shares his passion for journalism and sports by keeping fans informed through his articles and tweets. You can find him on Twitter @AlanDownward.